This is a discussion on Please Help! horrible noise (SEARCHED!) within the General Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Accidents. forums, part of the Tech & Modifying & General Repairs category; Well I have been a memeber on clubwrx for awhile and i never really need to post because you guys ...

Please Help! horrible noise (SEARCHED!)

Well I have been a memeber on clubwrx for awhile and i never really need to post because you guys cover topics so well, and since the search button is very useful. But the search button failed me today.
My car has been making a little noise when i turn the wheel in parking lots, sounded like it needed a little power steering fluid. I bought some and put it in, I was a little low but not too bad.
And this morning when i started to drive the squeel is even worse today, it only makes it as i turn the wheel and it is much more noticable when there are cars around to echo the noise (does not fluctuate with engine RPMs). Another odd fact is that when i press the clutch in the sound seems to go away.
And the car is not driven hard anymore since i have no job, I cannot pay to play....
And the sound goes away when i go about 40 MPH. I have no clue what the problem would be, and i am a college student who is very strapped for cash so if anyone could help me diagnose this problem that would be very helpful. Thanks in advance

yes it seems to be worse when i start it up cold, then once warm the squeal, very high pitched whine seems to die off a little.... but it still happens when i turn.... it is becoming quite a headache no trouble steering as of yet just horrible very high pitched sounds

loose/shot belt? the sound started very subtle, i could barley hear it at all... and i bought PS fluid and it didnt get any better....in fact it got worse... is there anyway i can check without taking apart my whole engine? and what are the effects of not getting this fixed b/c i just lost my job over a month ago and need to focus on finals coming up.... thanks for the quick response

loose/shot belt? the sound started very subtle, i could barley hear it at all... and i bought PS fluid and it didnt get any better....in fact it got worse... is there anyway i can check without taking apart my whole engine? and what are the effects of not getting this fixed b/c i just lost my job over a month ago and need to focus on finals coming up.... thanks for the quick response

-Aaron

Adjusting/replacing the belt is easy. Open your hood and check how much slop is in the belt. You shouldn't be able to move the belt more than about 3/4". Report back with your findings.

I checked the belt that goes to the PS pump it is very tight..... no play at all... on either end, it looks like my PS fluid seems to be leaking, i put some in yesterday and it already looks like some might have escaped. I have no idea where the fluid would be going but the belt is tighted very secure, any other possibilites?? i have heard of aftermarket exhaust heating up the PS lines near the exhaust?? i have no clue i just dont want it to get any worse....

no the belt seems to be fine... i read up on nabisco that since i have 3inch exhaust in the older subaru's i have a bugeye that the PS lines can heat up and actually make me leak fluid??? i have no clue what the problem can be...

it just frustrates me that right when i decide to quit working and focus on school this happens... i just don't know what else to check for.... for a more detailed sound i will try to get a video up, my best description is that its a very high pitched sound that almost sounds metallic, its horribly high pitched.... and seems to stop when the clutch is engaged? i was thinking maybe it could be my differentials if not my power steering?

Oh well thank you guys for the quick responses, anymore will be greatly apprciated

yes it is only while turning, that is why i thought it was the PS fluid/belt/pump? but i have no idea, it still drives fine but i dont want my pump to explode on my roadtrip back home for thanksgiving which is like almost 4 hour drive.... oh well thanks for the imput guys, i think i am going to have to take this one to the mechanic though.... anymore imput is welcome because my mechanic is busy til this weekend... thanks guys

Hey I know I'm bringing this back from the grave, but I've had similar problems for sometime now. When I first got my '02 Rex back in May it pulled awful to the right (I think it was the right, at least). In July/August I got new tires and an alignment afterwards. The numbers showed, needless to say, that it was very much in need of the alignment. However, while I was making the 1400 mile trip up to school not even a week later I noticed that the problem hadn't been remedied all the way and it still pulled, though not quite as bad as before. Not long after, I experienced problems similar to the ones described in this post, but instead of a high-pitched squeal, the steering gives off a more subtle - but still squeaky - sound. Also, I HAVE noticed a difference in steering feed-back during sharp corners when the car is standing still or at low speeds. The problem appears to diminish past 30 mph, but then again I don't really do 90 degree turns at those speeds.

The sound, to explain further, kind of reminds me of what it sounds like when you have bad wheel bearings, though it comes at different times. Also, it sounds like it's coming from up front. Like Sweet_Mon, the sound goes away when the clutch is in. Also, there are times when the car shudders under the turn, not the kind of vibration reminiscent to clutch shudder or fuel cut - this is something different. Oh, and I meant to say that for some reason the damned thing still pulls right.

So (exhales), that being said, I have a couple of questions:
First, Sweet_Mon, if you see this, what did the shop tell you when you got it fixed? What was the problem?

If he can't answer that for me, then to anyone else: Does this sound like a problem with the power steering at all? Maybe fluid, pump, lines, etc.? Or is this more likely an issue with the steering and suspension?

I probably should have noted it above, but over the summer I had my wheel bushings (I believe) replaced. I'm not big on steering and suspension, so that might not even be something real. Either way, it was something with the steering that I got fixed after the HUGE amounts of road noise didn't go away even after I got the new tires.

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help. I'll take anything I can get.

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